The resources you are making available are really inspiring.  I am not familiar with Climate Change Education.Org, or the Mobile Climate Science Labs.  Can you tell us a little about your history and how you operate?  It is awesome that you have been able to pivot to the virtual environment so effectively.  

Dr. Usselman: First, I just did an initial look at CEISMC at Georgia Tech.  I'm absolutely blown away!  Incredible!  Learning of and getting to know outstanding programs is a major goal of ours during the Showcase.  What a perfect start!

ClimateChangeEducation.org began in 1999, based at the major science centers and museums in the San Francisco Bay Area.  We've had the good fortune of collaborating with marvelous institutions, as we have been developing many programs. CLEAN and the CLEAN Network is so valuable. A focus of ours has always been on hands-on STEM labs that involve communities. Science Festivals are one of our favorite venues, such as the Bay Area Science Festival.  We are also in K-12 schools.

A silver lining of the Covid pandemic will be how necessity has motivated us (and others!) to develop remote forms of interactive science labs.  This opens up a whole new world of STEM education partnerships.  It's now possible to connect LIVE all over the planet, not just in ones own location.  While we are historically physically based in California, Washington DC and Maryland; its now possible to take part in science festivals and work with schools in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.  Certainly, Georgia is not such a distant place anymore at all!

It is absolutely apparent that we will find much joyful learning, studying the work of CEISMC at Georgia Tech!

 

Hi Katie,   I'm a 6th grade teacher at Lowell School in DC who teaches about climate change in a social studies-focused classroom. Thanks for all the work you do to bolster climate education. As I look at the CLEAN resources, so much of them are for the science-based classroom. What lessons does CLEAN have for social studies classes? Does CLEAN do any work with social studies teachers, or in creating curricula for social studies classrooms?   Thanks so much, Joshua Silver

Hi Joshua! Great question - CLEAN has been focused on science-based lessons since it's inception but we are trying to expand past that (although it does take about 6 months to a year for lessons to go through our review process, so some may still be in processing). I hope that next school year we have a page for teachers dedicated to helping them navigate more interdisciplinary climate learning.

In the meantime, our reviewers do sometimes note if lessons would be useful in social studies courses, so you can always search by those keywords (social studies search). I'd recommend some of the energy-based lessons, as well as public health focused lessons on climate change - we have topic tags you can use to narrow down on the right side of the search page. We also have quite a few resources that focus on climate misinformation/how to help students deal with information sourcing. I'd especially recommend the STINK test for information sourcing and the 'Turning Misinformation into Educational Opportunities' resources from the National Center for Science Education (easiest to find with this search - we have 3 of the 5 lessons from their unit and the later lessons get into more of the social science aspects). There are several resources that focus on socioeconomic decision making allowing students to model governmental style decision making to reduce carbon emissions - my favorite is the C-ROADS model. I also like the "Have a Talk" activity which encourages and prepares students to talk about climate with someone in their family who might be hesitant to discuss it (talking about climate change is one of the most important actions we can take). 

We have some PD resources that may be of interest to you as well including a page on how to teach climate change when it's a controversial topic with links to resources, and a few PD webinar recordings. One is from a teacher who has experience teaching about this to students who are reluctant and tends to use social studies topics to engage students in discussion so you might find his webinar very useful (first video at the link above). The second is a webinar we hosted for Earth Day focused on teaching about renewable energy and how focusing our jobs in that sector can impact the economy (second video at the link above). The other is a webinar training folks on the EN-ROADS climate model which is used in the C-ROADS student activity I linked in the previous paragraph (fourth video down at the webinar link above). 

Finally, I'd also encourage you to look to our partners. Climate Generation has two humanities-based modules you can check out - their first and second (we can't take modules into CLEAN - we focus on individual lessons and these are hard to split up but we're trying to work with them on it). There is a group at Smith College putting together a website full of art & history lessons related to climate change and someone at the Paleontological Research Institution has collected some Interdisciplinary Climate Teaching Resources you can look through. 

I hope these help but please let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with bringing climate change into your social studies classes and please reach out to us at CLEAN in the future to either let us know how it's going or ask more questions: clean@colorado.edu . Thanks for your question!

Patrick,

I hope you don't mind, I was curious about your work as a teacher.  You have fantastic materials on line, such as on your Facebook pages.  You make math fun, accessible, while also being quite serious and practical.  In particular, it stands out how your education materials approach math subjects from many genre's.  Of course, formulas, equations and problems.  But you have animations, videos... and 3D models!

I'm not shy about being an advocate and ambassador for science festivals.  So many programs think of them as SOOO big that they would never fit in.  Or that there's the need for hands-on labs at a level that only the big corporations can do.

Whether or not you'd ever like to take part, I'd think your materials would do very well at science festivals.  Especially the 3D models.  Math is often underrepresented, especially when its limited to equations and problems.  The science festivals will be back physically soon enough.  Absolutely in New York --- you have some really good ones.

Working alongside dozens (sometimes hundreds) of other booths, we get a good idea of what is popular; what draws families and kids to STEM.  Provides the life changing "hooks."   I just want you to know that its clear that the way you teach math education is wonderful.  What people love.  Yours is of the quality ready for the mega-sized STEM events.

It's a real pleasure visiting your on-line materials!

Happily, yes. Absolutely! The Mobile Climate Science Labs have always been geared toward student involvement at the community level.  One example is empowering students to learn while they take on real world challenges; specifically ways to take positive STEM-based action in relation to climate change. For instance, being leaders in their communities becoming more energy efficient.

In Washington DC and Maryland, for example, middle and high school students conduct energy efficiency surveys; and then, based on the results, help institutions to both save energy and reduce operational costs.  Using hand-held short-wavelength infrared camcorders, the students can instantly spot where lighting is efficient (as with LED lighting) and where lights are still inefficient (as with incandescent). All recorded and shared on video. They then work with the institutions to recommend where changes can be made. It's a multi-generational team: students, teachers, engineers, scientists, parents, university students.

To get experience, the students usually first start doing energy efficiency surveys of their homes and their schools, using the SW infrared cameras.    They then visit and survey museums. (Washington DC has the Smithsonians and national art galleries!)  Next come government and other public buildings. Other teams of students survey street lighting, traffic lighting, the subway system, and the airports.  State and local, and now the federal government agencies have been very pleased to work with the students.  The students are making serious contributions at the community and national level.  And, the surveys a lot of fun to do!

Now that the national museums and government buildings are opening up to the public again, we'll have a very busy summer ahead.  Expect many videos to follow of their projects.

The data on their work largely is in the form of videos, as these used during Zoom calls (with the sound off) when the students made presentations to national organizations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAv7rtWxdfI&amp...

Fortunately, the subject of being leaders in the community in achieving energy efficiency is conveyed very well with the Live Remote Labs. In fact, students and teachers can gain their own experience as they are able to use and control the cameras remotely. Our students are sharing their techniques and experiences with others across the US.  We love working with other programs.

I'll make a note regarding setting off student movements shortly in another post.  :-)

You certainly know how to encourage people to elaborate and open up.  :-)

Empowering and encouraging students to be involved in making positive contributions to solving major social challenges is a big deal for us.  Four examples I'll mention; two of which would be recognized as student movements.  1.) Action on climate change and energy   2.) Equity and social justice, specifically in education and STEM.  3.) Contributing to the advancement of STEM education on a broad scale.  4.) STEM, language arts, humanities and other fields supporting one another; holistic/ integrated learning.

It would be hard to miss that there is now a true student movement internationally on taking action on climate change .  Students are very passionate, serious, and motivated on a personal level about the subject -- especially young women.  Our students  do indeed see themselves as part of a movement, and in many ways among the leaders, yet being part of something much larger.

One student group is Climate Club DC. Youtube Channel by the same name. Twitter @ClimateClubDC.   One of the 6th graders is now building their website.  They give presentations at youth summits and conferences, to government agencies, and connect with other student groups internationally.  The CLEAN Network is an especially valuable way to connect with diverse programs taking action on climate change.

STEM-based action: The choice to make advancing energy efficiency on the community level a focus of projects, allows students to gain experience as true pioneers. For one, they are leading truly using STEM.  So much of climate action is actually STEM innovation and moving technology forward.  Middle and high school students can actually be leaders in this; yet they are rarely encouraged to be involved.  Unlike what most people think of in terms of what it means to take part in the climate action movement, this isn't focused on political advocacy, or asking government to pass new legislation. It's not asking adults to do something, while the kids just watch.  Students having to wait ten more years, until after the earn their degrees, to play a role.

Students simply love this. It is fun and it is real. Real science, real engineering. Real, applied math.

With the SWIR cameras, the students have a super-power.

To be effective, teams must also able to communicate well, of course. Videos are a very important tool.

This week the Climate Club DC students are meeting, in person and over Zoom, to watch and comment on videos in the STEM for all Video Showcase. We have so much to learn from the effective STEM educators who are fellow presenters. So many incredible programs to connect with!

The students have been especially noting YOUR wonderful questions and comments, Khyati.  Thank you!

 

I wholeheartedly agree!  For anyone who is a STEM educator, especially if you like enthusiastic, team oriented engagement in STEM by thousands of students... You really must know and appreciate the Girl Scouts and Techbridge!!  Incredible programs, offering so much.

Please, please, please: support and connect with the Girl Scouts and Techbridge!  Very much leaders in engaging STEM education. You will not be disappointed.

The tennis ball demo models the molecules in Earth's atmosphere.  (And that of Mars and Venus too!) A fun, social kinetic experience.  ( The molecule models highlight the difference between the greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide) and the non-greenhouse gases (like oxygen and nitrogen, O2 and N2).  That carbon dioxide jiggles is how it traps heat and energy, in ways that the rigid, tightly bonded, no electrical dipole gases, like N2 cannot.  All the gases let in sunlight (which consists of visible light and short-wavelength infrared light), but CO2 traps/absorbs some of the wavelengths of long-wavelength infrared that the Earth emits to cool off.  (Other labs allow participants to gain personal live experience in how this really happens.)

It's a very fun and popular demo.  Yet scientifically accurate.  Can be presented to different levels of education, from elementary school to university level physics and chemistry.  By adjusting the words used and the level of detail. For instance, whether or not to get into electric dipoles, resonant frequencies, and vibration modes. At its simplest, works as a great introduction at early elementary school. NGSS aligned. In use all over the United States.

Introducing the basics of climate science need not be scary or hard, or beyond what non-science teachers can teach.  In our twenty years of sharing this demonstration, we have never been advocates of  teaching climate science by scaring people, or politicizing science education.  Climate science can be physically demonstrated scientifically accurately.  It's actually very fun and exciting. Something students really care about too.

Here's a link to a Youtube playlist, where one can choose which aspects are of interest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OurnlNxBGX8&amp...

How presented (at the elementary school level on up).  Middle school students presenting the demo to elementary school classes and at science festivals.  Middle school students giving their own presentation in front of the White House.

The demo is typically used as a fun, hands-on interactive introduction to deeper learning.  A perfect example of when teachers then turn to the wider resources of CLEAN. Cleannet.org.

It is incredible being at Girl Scout and Techbridge events. The way the young women work together, to solve problems, and simply enjoy learning and being socially supportive together.  They are the most amazing learning environments.  

Hi April!  Thank you for the very kind comments.

First, I would highly recommend April's video to everyone. (Link on the left, as well as here:  https://stemforall2021.videohall.com/presentati... )

It would be fantastic to work together in the years ahead -- especially given your upcoming focus on energy and climate science.  (See the 0:39 time mark of April's video.)

The Youtube Channel of ClimateChangeEducation.org and Mobile Climate Science Labs is Climate Science Demonstrations ... Here's the link:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqFObPDn5SR4VR...

CLEAN has a wonderful variety of videos directly on the website, many which are also on Youtube.  https://cleanet.org/index.htm

Katie or Anne:  Am I missing any specific links we should mention for CLEAN on Youtube and other video platforms?

Just wrote you  with Katie and my respective email addresses.    

Thank you, Marcello.  I very much look forward to our further conversations.  With one more day left with SVS21 comments still open, its certainly in order to have each other's email addresses. :-)

Dr. Wilson, 

The video that you and your team contributed to the STEM for All Video Showcase is simply one of the most valuable of all in the entire collection. I have learned a great deal from you, and will be returning to study further your program's work.

I highly recommend to all Showcase visitors to experience your incredible video: 

The Validation of the Equity and Access Rubrics for Mathematics Instruction https://stemforall2021.videohall.com/presentati...

Something we emphasize with our lab presenters/educators is to indeed resist the temptation to respond to questions from students and the public with lot of words.  Instead, to encourage (and perhaps suggest hints) on ways participants can use the labs themselves to make explore. So often, students find they can answer their own questions by making their own discoveries.

The response from families where their kids have never been given the opportunity to do their own science labs... even that alone can make it all worth it for us.  The disparity of opportunities is far more serious than many believe.  

 

Dr. Owolabi,

Well... we certainly have very good reason to connect!

As you know, we have teams in Washington DC and Baltimore.

Katie: Please take a look.  Dr. Owolabi is quite distinguished in civil engineering in action on climate change.  This is very important to CLEAN and the CLEAN Network!

I'll send you the link to Dr. Owolabi's faculty page at Morgan State University, Baltimore.